The compact SUV will sit below Vauxhall's Antara 4x4 and could be available in front- and four-wheel-drive versions.

Vauxhall will also unveil a production version of the Junior at the Paris motor show next year.

The upmarket supermini will be a rival for the Citroen DS3 and is planned to go on sale in 2013. Vauxhall sources say the production car won't be called 'Junior'.

In 2014, Vauxhall will launch a rival to the Volkswagen Up. The Vauxhall city car will be significantly cheaper than the Up's expected price of £8000.

Meanwhile, the five-door Astra will be face-lifted next year. For the first time the range will include a high-powered sporty diesel to take on the likes of the Seat Leon FR 2.0 TDI and Volkswagen Golf GTD.

The Insignia family car is also due a face-lift in the next 18 months. Vauxhall says the flagship VXR version will get more power than the current 321bhp version.

Over the next four years, Vauxhall will replace most of its diesel and petrol engines, with smaller, more economical units and introduce a three-cylinder engine.

Vauxhall is also keen to build its RAKe electric concept car which it unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show last month. However, there needs to be a strong business case first.